#SocialMediaWellness

A viral push-up challenge has reignited concerns about universal fitness guidelines. Health influencers and social media personalities promote fixed targets that overlook individual needs. The current flashpoint centers on an 11-push-ups benchmark for women, a seemingly simple goal that has spread across platforms like TikTok and sparked debate among exercise scientists and dietitians.

A prominent health influencer recently claimed on a well-known podcast that every woman should be able to do 11 standard push-ups (not the knee-supported version). The discussion prompted waves of online responses, with women sharing success stories or struggles to meet the standard. This moment underscores society’s fascination with clear, measurable health milestones—even when they ignore personal variation and context.

A viral push-up challenge has reignited debate over universal fitness advice as health influencers and social media personalities continue to promote “one-size-fits-all” approaches that oversimplify individual needs. The latest flashpoint centers on an 11 push-ups benchmark for women—an arbitrary fitness goal that has gained traction across platforms like TikTok but is raising concerns among exercise scientists and registered dietitians.

Recently, an orthopedic surgeon and prominent health influencer appeared on a well-known self-help podcast, declaring that every woman should be able to perform 11 standard push-ups (not the so-called “girl push-ups” on knees). The pronouncement sparked a wave of online responses, with women documenting either their success in completing the challenge or their struggles to meet the standard. The viral moment highlights society’s fascination with clear, quantifiable measures of health—even when such goals lack personal nuance or scientific flexibility (Vox).

A rising wave of social media content has Thai viewers fixated on cortisol as the villain behind weight gain and facial changes. Scientists and doctors warn that everyday cortisol fluctuations from normal stress are not the dramatic threat seen in popular videos. This perspective, drawn from a detailed analysis in The Conversation and echoed by endocrinologists and health organizations, urges media literacy around online health claims.

Thai youths and professionals are feeling the impact of wellness trends that blame cortisol for stubborn belly fat or puffy faces. Local creators and influencers have amplified the narrative, with hashtags such as #cortisolbelly gaining traction. However, experts say the science is far more nuanced. Weight and body changes arise from a mix of genetics, sleep, diet, activity, and hormones—not cortisol alone.

Social media’s obsession with “cortisol belly” and “cortisol face” has racked up millions of views among Thai users, amplifying fears that the stress hormone cortisol is sabotaging health and appearance. However, scientists and medical experts are pushing back, clarifying that everyday cortisol fluctuations from modern stressors are far from the catastrophic threat depicted in TikTok and Instagram trends—findings that come as a relief for many in Thailand and across the globe. This latest conversation is rooted in a detailed analysis published by a medical researcher through The Conversation, and corroborated by endocrinologists and global health organizations, signaling an urgent need for critical media literacy around health information online.